Train-pipe coupling.



W. F. CLASEN. TRAIN PIPE GOUPLING. APPLICATION FILED PBB.1,1906.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909 2 SHEETS-SHEET l W. P. GLASEN.

TRAIN PIPE UOUPLING.

` APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1,1906. 91 3,81 1 Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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l Uivrrnio TRAIN-PXPE COUPLING.

Specification oi Letters etent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed February l, 1935. Serial No. 298,927.

To all 'whom 'it muy concern:

Be it 4known that i, iVinLIAM F. Cruises', u citizen of the United States, residingnt Milwaukee, county ot' Milwaukee, and Stute -5 oWisconsin, have invented lnew and useful Im rovements in Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following' is n specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in 1 train pipe couplings lo The primary object of my invention is to provide n set vot metallic coupling pipes radapted to be substituted for the ordinary lhose ipe connections, the several members of -saidfset ofmetallic pipes being united com ich,-

Figure 1 is e side view of my invention as it is used tor connecting the train pipes of two' cars. Fig. n is u sectionul'viev. ofv two of the separable couplingjoint members Showingaynodified form oi latch. F is 'a detail sectional view of one of the rotary or normally inseparable joints. Fig. t is e lun' View o the set ot inter-connected coupH ing members. Figg 5 isan enlarged side 40 view-,of the-separable joint shown in llip'. l. Fig. 6 is atop view of the suine port in tion* FO'S. 7 und -8 are similar views sho\v ing' o, slig t modiiicstion in the construction i` of thesepztrable coupling members shown in Like parts are identified ty the sonic retterence characters tliroughout the several views 1 and 2 are the ordinary trein pipes ot the respective cnrs, these being; provided `with valves 3 whereby the pipes ymuy be closed when the curs nrc separated. rthe connection between the pipes i and@ is mode by sets of metallic members 5, G, T, S und 9,

onesuch set beingg` attached to euch of the train pipes 1 and 2 respectively. The memby a series of normally inseparable joints,

arranged, however, to permit relative roto? tion of the respective member". The construction ot these joints is best illustrated it `will be observed that euch of the members except the member 5) comprises n straight section u :md un elboucd section b, the lutter being provided with un annular ilungc 13 on its outer end7 und the former being screw threaded :it its outer end ior thc reception ol a connecting section ll, having o flange l2 adopted. to :ibut lthe flange l5. 'lhc connecting section extends within the section o und the opposing surfaces ure rccesscd to receive thc unnulur pnt-.king 1;). .ihe opposing surfaces of thc .flanges l2 fund 13 ure nlsoground to form n tight joint7 und nre held together by u perforated chnnneled ringI l?, .vliich is formed in sections hinged at 13 und connected by :i link pin or bolt 19 on the side opposite the hinge: By \vithdrawing the bolt or pin lt) the sections oi the ring 17 muy be separated to rclensc the flanges l2 und 13, 'whereupon the joint muy bc opened und rcpucked. A

By using the elbowcd sections und providing for relativo rotation ot the parts, u substantially univers-nl movement oi the lerminui section 9 is permitted, since the series or' members so connected are permitted to rotate on n plurality ot horizontal axes extending ut right :ingles to eachother, und on one vertical axis. Referring to Figs. 5 und t' which best show the conslrluztion otI the scp-arable coupling joint, it will bc observed that euch scclon l? is provided with :i connecting' 111cmbcr 22, cach of which is provided with u mcntnl longue 2li und :i segmental `groove 24- edztpted to rcgslor with :i corresponding tone o und groove on the opposing;Y conuectiug member Q2 whereby tbc members nro interlockcd. 'i'hc (.ronstruclion is such thuis y the tongues Q3 cfmnot be readily cngngcd in r1 to i w concave surl'uce in thc channel 2li. 'lhe pasY sage through the connectingy member .22 eX-l tcnds longitudinally therein us best. shown- 1n Fig'. G, und thence zit subsluiitmlly right angles through the abutting feces 31 of the members. The members 22 are'itherefore lap jointed and,-provided with 'laterally cominuni'catifig ports. A c oinpressible ring 32 is set in tthe connecting*members around the .port br opening, whereby lateral leakage is portions of the channels Q4 and tending tov prevent a longitudinal separation of the connecting members 2Q. Each of the connecting members, however, is providedlwith a resilient latch bar having a latch head 3G adapted to engage a flange 37 on the opposing connecting member, which flange serves as a catch. In case the connecting members 22 are forced together longitudinally as indicated inFig.- Q, the latch head 36 vwill lift orncoming in contactwith the'tlange 37 and pass over the flange to loclring-"position, but if the parts are swung together from lthe position indicated by dotted lines 'in Itig l, the latchhead will movevinwardly in the `re`ar of flange 3T to locking position. The

engaging face of the latchlli'ead i's `sliglitly `beve'ledlor rqunded, so tlia-t said 'latch willl release` without brpalting if the cars shonlv become un'coupledi Each of the segmental' tongues isprOvid'ed with a lugi38, which is adapted to engage the opposing Amember 22 or the projecting segmental portion Athereof whichcarries the tongue Q3\ and groove 24, whereby the members are prevented frontl dropping while they are being coupled or from sagging after they are coupled together, the construction being such that when the members Q0 are coupled together,

the members 9 will occupy a horizontal position with the lugs in contact with the sefgiiieiital flanges having the tongues and grooves 23 and 24. lt will be observed however, that as the outer ends of the members 9 are'free to rotate in the joints connecting them with lthe members 8, it would be `possible for the members t) to rotate while the train is in motion until the lugs 38 are up,- pcrinost, whereupon the members 9 would be permitted to sag to uncouplingposition, it notvbeing practical to depend entirely upon the springs'O and 5l hereinafter described. For this reason I have arranged for additionally supporting the members 22 and 9 against lthe tendency to sag, this being accon'iplished by means of the latch hars l't will bc 4observed that each of the latches 35 when in locking position is adapted to engage in a longitudinal channel n'l0 formed in,the opposing member. and extending substantially across the'aXes of the leteral'ports in the respective members, the

,channels 40 being formed in the puter surmembers.

segmental `grooves ,24 is principally relied,

upon, however, to prevent a longitudinal separation of the members 22 andy it is theretore possible, if desired, to omitthe latch` head 36, retaining the latch bailihowever, to prevent sagging as above explained. 591 Fig. 2 shows a nioditicdzform'of latch head 43, which is forked ,aiidada-pted to engage over a tongue 44e and in'clhannels 45 and at each side of the tongue, the joint being otherwise constructed 'substantially the same as in Figs. l, et and 5. lFigs. 'Tand 'o show a curved latch bar ,48 adapted to ride upon and engage a rounded shoulder 49.

lAny one of these separable couplings nay be employed to connect one set of metallic members with the coupling member of'the hose pipe connections in ordinary use so that il will not be necessary that all the cars shall be: simultaneously equipped with metallic liiflhen disengaged, the vseveral portions are held substantially in normal position by means of springs 50 and 51. Y Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by. Letters Patent is,- l. The combination with a train pipe, of a set of elbowed members connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, 'a terminal member for said set provided with a coupling member adapted to ,tit a corresponding member on another set and having seginentally tongued and grooved flanges adapted to be swung into mutua-l interlocking engagement with corresponding flanges on another set to prevent longitudinal separation of the members under ordinary strains and when in a normal horizontal position,-aiid a rigidly connected fastening member projecting longitudinally and comprising a supporting bar, a latch head adapted to engage the interlocking coupling member, said coupling member being also provided with means for engaging a similar fastening member on such interlocking coupling member, and said fastening members and engaging means being adapted, when in an engaging position, to prevent the coup ling` members from rotating to Idiseng'age the segnientally tongucd and grooved flanges.

2. The combination with a train pipe, of a flexible vmetallic extension comprising a set of inter-connected members; a terminal member for' said set, provided with a coupling` a latch bar' connected with each coupling member a projection on a similar coupling member .With which the first member is adapted to interlock ;-each of saidainter-locking couplin members being provided-,with a longitu inal channel in the outer surface of said member opposite the interlocking faces of the members for the reception of the latch bar of the other member, and said latch bars beingformed of resilient material and provided with a latchhead having a catch en- 'gaging face angularly disposed and adapted yto slip under excessive strain to permit a longitudinal separation of lire coupling members.

3. The combination with a train pipe, oi'r a. set of elbow members connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, a terminal member for said set provided witha coupling member adapted to fit the corresponding member on another set and having tong-Lied and grooved tlanges adapted for mutual interlocking engagement with corresponding llanges on the other set and arranged to prevent longitudinal sepa-l ration of the members under ordinary strains and when in a normal horizontal position, each of said coupling members being provided with a longitudinal projecting bar adapted to fit a longitudinal channel in the other member to prevent the terminal mehr bers from sagging out of such normal horizontal position. g

' 4. The combination with a train pipe, of a set of elbow members connected with each other by joints adaptedto permit a relative rotation, and a terminal member for said set providedwith a .coupling member adapted to fit a corresponding member on another set, and having segmentally tongued and grooved tlangesadapted to be swung into mutual interlocking engagement With corre-- sponding Yflanges on another' set to prevent longitudinal separation of the members under ordinary strains and when in a normal horizontal. positioIn-said coupling member being provided with a laterally opening port on one side and a Channel on the other side extending substantially across the axis of the port and adapted to receive a latch bar connected with the opposing member, a latch bar on said member adapted to engage acer-responding channel in the opposing member, whereby, when said latch bars are engaged in the respective channels, a swinging movement ot' the disengage the tongue is prevented.

5. rlhe combinatioir a set of elbowcd men'ibers connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, a terminal member 'for said set provided with a coupling member adapted to tit a corresponding member on another set and having segmentally tongucd and grooved flanges adapted -to bes\,vung into mutual interlocking engagement with corresponding flanges on another" set to prevent longitudinal separalion oi' the members under ordinaryv strains and when in a normal horizontal pOSitioIn-and a rigidly connected jl'astening' member projecting longitudinally and comprising a supporting bar, a latch head adapted to engage the interlocking coupling' mcnlber, said coupling member being also provided with means for engaging a similar fastening member on such interlocking coupling member, and said fastening' members and engaginfT means being adapted, when in an engaging position, to prevent the couplingmembers from rotating to disengage the seginentally tongued and grooved flanges, together with means for resiliently supporting said coupling member when in a horizontal position.

In testimony whereof l ailix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

lWILLIAB'I F. CLSEN.

and groove segments Vvlitnesses Y LEvnnnT'r C. lVnnnLnn, Jas. B. EnwrN.

coupling members tov with a train pipe, of 

